Broadcaster, writer, journalist, based Dublin, Ireland.
Very simply, I’m just an authority-loving anti-authoritarian, left and right wing hippy individualist goth indie pop prog rock album track single hit lover, in love with technology but pining for my simple past as a sailor.
Part broadcaster (Phantom 105.2), part journalist, part writer, and living in Dublin since returning home from the UK in 2000.
In the late 1980s I worked offshore for Radio Caroline as Head of News and presenter (and eventually Programme Director) for the Caroline 558 service. This was a wonderful time, great radio, and great fun. I stayed with Caroline past the end of offshore broadcasting, and until the 1991 shipwreck when I was one of the people rescued by helicopter (thank you RAF!) after we ran aground on the Goodwin Sands.
In one way the offshore days with Caroline are far in the past now, in others they have never left me, and truth be told there is hardly a week goes by that I don’t think wistfully of how nice it would be to be 18 miles out in the middle of a moonlit sea playing music and just hanging out.
I now work for Phantom 105.2 in Dublin, which has much of the great music and freedom that Caroline offered, but somewhat less of the drama and uncertainty.
I currently present the Sunday evening all-request show “Random Access” from 7-9pm.
I’ve written a book about my experiences with Caroline and the last few years at sea, as we lurched from crisis to crisis, and having found an agent in the wonderful Seven Towers Agency I am now going through the pain of editing, and sailing towards the hope of publication.
Musically my tastes are very varied, in my time I have played everything from soft pop to hard rock via goth, indie, country and blues, and enjoyed it all.
I’d love to live in a huge dusty library on board a radioship in International waters, but just for now, I’ll have to live in the real world.
Steve


11 comments
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November 20, 2008 at 12:19 am
neil gates
Hi Gabe,
I see that you have got your book published at last!
Please drop me a line or visit facebook and join the happy band of ex pirates that live there……there is a lot of fun to be had there as we head rapidly to middle age!
I have spent the last few days there disscussing our past adventures with Judy Murphy and Caroline Martin with Dave Asher dropping in from time to time…it’s great fun!
Did you realise that it is 17 years ago tonight that we endured the grounding on the Goodwins?
Take care and I hope to hear from you soon.
Your dear freind always Neil xxxxx
November 22, 2008 at 10:46 pm
Dave Roberts
Good news. I shall be ordering a couple of copies of the book. Great radio indeed with all of the drama! Thanks for finally getting around to putting it all down on paper for those of us who still care for and long for some of that old radio magic again. Roll on March 2009 eh?
Hope all is well in Dublin too.
Cheers,
Dave
November 30, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Pete Leutner
Hi Steve,
Re: EKR – European Klassik Rock
Just a note to say we’re back. Take a listen.
I remember you gave us so much help when we were analogue on the Astra satellite. We had a lot of response from that “Waterford” transmitter on 104. something over that period!
Good luck with your books.
Pete and Di Leutner
May 7, 2009 at 4:17 pm
neville paul
could you let me know if you are related to the conways from mount pleasent buildings dublin my mother was madeline conway
May 7, 2009 at 6:33 pm
steveconway
The Conways in my family were the Conways of Inchicore in the early part of the 20th century (my grandfather, J J Conway ran an Iron Foundry in Inchicore) and before that from around the Burncourt area in Co. Tipperary in the late 19th C.
Steve
June 2, 2009 at 9:40 am
DONALD CRABB
Just a brilliant book. The first pirate book I have got through with out questioning the truth of it. Realy enjoyed the read.
June 28, 2009 at 7:56 pm
Niamh B
Hi Steven,
Great to meet you today, really enjoyed your reading at Chapters, (without sounding like a stalker, I was the girl sitting to your right) hopefully see you again, and keep the comments here posted about further work!
Niamh
August 14, 2009 at 8:06 pm
Susanne
Hi,
I just want to thank you very much for signing the copy of your book that my brother and your former co-worker Hans K. gave to me.
I currently enjoy reading …
Best wishes!
Susanne K.
August 25, 2009 at 11:59 am
Ric Harris
Steve, I thoroughly enjoyed ship-rocked. So much has been written about pirate radio experiences, but I think Shiprocked stands out for completeness and very good writing style.
I only regret I never heard your program – but I have been in the states since 1985. Best of luck to you with the sales and your career in writing, radio, or whatever you get into!
September 7, 2009 at 12:24 pm
Wendy Threlfall
Hi Gabriel,
Great To hear you got your book published, I will be ordering a copy from Amazon and look forward to reading it.
Best Wishes,
Wendy. Xxx
September 8, 2009 at 7:12 am
steveconway
Thanks Wendy, hope you enjoy the book, you are in it of course!
All the best,
Steve